Guatemala City is the enormous capital of the country, but nearby Antigua is the
major tourist draw in the area. Antigua was once the Spanish capital of South
America and its town center is beautifully preserved in its gorgeous setting between
several active (but not dangerous) volcanoes. The mad hustle and bustle of the
present capital is non-existent in Antigua, which makes it a great place to get
introduced to Guatemala without being overwhelmed.

What To Do

The main town square is called the Parque Central and the main cathedral is only
one of the historic buildings surrounding this pleasant park area. Cultural walking
tours of the city are given six days a week and are a highly recommended introduction
to the area. Bus tours leave from in front of the tourist office on the main square
and the trip includes most of the major landmarks as well as a tour of a nearby
coffee plantation.

You’ll enjoy Antigua more if you speak at least some Spanish as English
is not nearly as common as it is in most other tourist areas. If you’ll
be touring Central America for a while this will be a common situation and Antigua
is a very popular place for short and intense Spanish lessons. For a very reasonable
fee you can live with a host family for a week or more and spend half your day
learning Spanish and the other half in total emersion with the family. It’s
a very efficient way to become at least tourism fluent in a very short time.

Getting There

There is some long distance bus service in Guatemala, but it’s not as
modern or pleasant as it is in the countries to the south. Most people will
want to book
a flight into Guatemala City’s La Aurora International Airport. It’s
a large airport so good deals are often available. La Aurora is about 30 miles
from Antigua and cheap buses are available, but taxis aren’t expensive
and should be considered if you are in a group. If you are flying to or from
Flores/Tikal you may use a small regional airport in Guatemala City that has
fewer transportation options available, but shuttles to Antigua are available
after flights land there.

Where To Stay

There are quite
a few hostels in Antigua as well as loads
of hotel options in all price ranges. The center of the city is fairly small
and prices are low so it’s probably worth it to pay a bit more for a central
location than to save a bit by staying far away. The center of the city is charming
at night so choose your location wisely. The better places tend to book up early
in peak times so plan ahead.